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HOUSTON, MAY 8, 2014 – The Bulls scored in each of the first three innings to take a 5-0 lead and held off a rally by Memphis to advance to the American Athletic Conference semifinals in Houston.

USF (41-14) jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs on two hits and two Tigers' errors in the bottom of the first and went on to win by a final score of 5-3.

“That was good because it takes the pressure off of the first postseason game of the year,” head coach Ken Eriksen said. “What I thought was just as big was our freshmen (Juli) Weber and (Kristen) Wyckoff getting in their first postseason game and doing extremely well.”

Conference rookie of the year Juli Weber (Hegins, Pa.) got things started with a leadoff single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ashli Goff (Tampa). Two batters later, Stephanie Medina (Tampa) singled through the right side to score Weber for the game's first run. Kourtney Salvarola (Arnold, Md.) also came around to score thanks to a throwing error by Tigers' third baseman Cierra Mangum to give the Bulls a 2-0 lead heading into the second.

A two-out rally in the third allowed USF to add to its lead. Kristen Wyckoff (Plant City, Fla.) hit a bloop single to right field and stole second to get into scoring position for Weber, who lined a single into center field to make it 3-0 Bulls.

Lee Ann Spivey extended the Bulls' lead in the third with her ninth home run of the year, a two-run shot over the left-field fence to make it 5-0 after three innings. That would prove to be the difference as the second team all-conference selection finished the day 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI.

Memphis got back in the game in the fifth with a two-run homer off the scoreboard in right field by Ellen Roberts. It was the third home run of the year for Roberts and cut the Tigers' deficit to three.

Starting pitcher Sara Nevins (Pinellas Park, Fla.) was relieved by Erica Nunn in the sixth after pitching 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven.

Nunn (Apex, N.C.) went on to finish the game and pick up her fourth save of the season while Nevins got the win and improved 27-7 on the year.

The Tigers added another run on a sacrifice fly by Libby Goranson in the top of the seventh but were unable to complete the comeback and finished the season with a 23-33 record.

Four Bulls recorded multi-hit games, including a 3-for-3 performance by Wyckoff and two hits apiece for Weber, Medina and Spivey.

The second-seeded Bulls will square off against No. 3 seed Louisville at 5 p.m. ET tomorrow in the semifinals. The Cardinals defeated Temple, 5-3, in the first quarterfinal of the day.

Eriksen said the key to the game will be to keep the Cardinals off the scoreboard for as long as possible and try to create some offense on the ground  in what is a very hitter friendly Cougar Softball Stadium.

“We have to try to keep them at zero. With this ballpark as short as it is and the way the wind is blowing right now it's going to be a task and a half, so we have to move the ball on the ground and create some offense and then hopefully they hit some balls at us.”

The game can be seen live on the American Digital Network, HERE and stay up-to-date on everything going on in the tournament by visiting the tournament central page, HERE.